In an interview with reporters after returning home from Incheon International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, Lee said, “Actually, San Francisco was my first offer. I was shocked (by the size of the contract),” revealing the behind-the-scenes story of the contract.
The San Francisco Giants announced on its official website on Friday that it agreed to a six-year contract worth 113 million U.S. dollars, which includes opt-out conditions after the end of the 2027 season. The team will receive a down payment of 5 million dollars, 7 million dollars in 2024, 16 million dollars in 2025, and 22 million dollars in 2026 and 2027, respectively, and 20.5 million dollars in 2028 and 2029.
The amount was hard to imagine even when he left Korea on Feb. 28 for a contract. According to Scott Boras, Lee’s agent in the U.S., nearly half of the teams in the Major League inquired after Lee announced his bid for posting, but it was hard to predict the amount exceeding 100 million dollars. The biggest FA players this offseason were Japanese Major Leaguer Shohei Ohtani (29) and Japanese Major League Baseball MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (25) who has won the Sawamura Award for three consecutive years, and Lee was evaluated by MLB.com as a player outside the top 10 in the FA rankings. Naturally, the amount ranges from 50 million dollars (MLB.com ) to 90 million dollars (CBS Sports).
However, according to Lee Jung-hoo, San Francisco presented 113 million U.S. dollars from the beginning, showing its true intention. As a result, even Lee Jung-hoo, a former KBO MVP and strong-minded man, wrapped his head in surprise and relaxed his legs. “I had mixed feelings because the contract was concluded earlier than my seniors,” Lee said while confirming the situation at the time of the contract. 토토사이트 추천
San Francisco’s interest in Lee Jung-hoo has been steady and persistent. Lee had been on the list for several years already, and this year, right before the Major League challenge, it dispatched several team leader-level scouts to check on Lee Jung-hoo from the Arizona Spring Camp before the season. He was also spotted at the Tucson Kino Sports Complex in Arizona, where the 2023 World Baseball Classic national team training took place. According to a KBO official, scouts from nine clubs namely the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, the New York Mets, the Detroit Tigers, the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees, the Kansas City Royals, and the Chicago Cubs visited the stadium in person. Many of them guessed who Lee’s biggest purpose was as he left the stadium after being replaced during the game.
The visits by San Francisco scouts have continued in Korea. According to Kiwoom officials, they made six visits to Gocheok Sky Dome during the six-month period from April to September, and even showed up at Gwangju Kia Champions Field. The highlight was on Oct. 10 against Gocheok Samsung Lions, Kiwoom’s last home game of the 2023 season.
San Francisco’s general manager Pete Putilla, who had already entered Korea before that, visited Gocheok Sky Dome to watch Lee Jung-hoo’s last game in Korea and at bat. Lee Jung-hoo returned to the U.S. after confirming his passionate support and star quality. Alex Pavlovic, a reporter in charge of the local San Francisco media NBC Sports Bay Area, reported the news of Lee Jung-hoo’s major league posting on the 5th, saying, “San Francisco executives have been to see Lee Jung-hoo several times this year. They will be very deeply involved in recruiting Lee Jung-hoo,” confirming their long-term interest.
The amount offered to players is also a measure of how much they really want. Regardless of the U.S. or Korea, it is common to stimulate the emotional part of a player when recruiting a big FA player, or to send the team owner, boss, or legendary player of the team to do their best. However, most players chose the team that paid the highest amount and proved that the amount was a sure token of their value.
Even after San Francisco, Lee Jung-hoo had an offer, but he was not as active as they were, and Lee Jung-hoo was able to make a decision relatively easily. Lee Jung-hoo expressed his honest feelings, saying, “Many clubs made offers, but I think San Francisco decided quickly because it felt like it wanted me the most in negotiating with General Manager Pete Putilla coming to Korea.”
Even after recruiting Lee Jung-hoo, his affection for Lee continued. Despite controversy over his overpayment in the U.S., San Francisco Giants President Farhan Zaidi said at the joining ceremony on Wednesday, “Today will go down in the history of San Francisco. We needed players with good contact skills to strengthen our team’s offense. Frankly, when we saw candidates that we could recruit during the offseason, Lee Jung-hoo was the only player who could meet the criteria we wanted.”
On social media, Lee Jung-hoo’s dog Kao came to the fore, making sure that he treated him as a star representing San Francisco, such as fighting back against Ohtani and his pet Deco pin, which the LA Dodgers recruited not long ago. San Francisco left a heartwarming message on its SNS, saying, “You wouldn’t have known the plus one (dog) that came with Lee Jung-hoo,” adding, “We already love them very much.”
San Francisco gave consideration to Lee Jung-hoo’s visit to the Chase Center, which became a big issue in the U.S. On Thursday, a day after his joining ceremony, Lee visited the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, an NBA team based in San Francisco. When the Golden State team introduced Lee Jung-hoo in the audience, an explosive cheer erupted, including a standing ovation.
“When I told him that I wanted to play basketball, he made me a place for him. On the eve of the joining ceremony, he told me that he wanted to work out, so I let him do everything he wanted,” Lee said. “He recognized me more than I thought maybe because I’m Asian. I was grateful that the fans welcomed me and welcomed me at the Chase Center.”
As such, Lee’s heart is unique. “It is an honor to go to a prestigious club named San Francisco. Thank you very much for taking care of me, and I will repay you with the play that meets your expectations as the club invested in me. I want to show my best performance in San Francisco right away,” Lee said.